Osborne and the environment – he could not care less!

There was one part of his autumn statement that gives the lie to the slick new world that he conjures up, and reveals its short-termism and fundamental immorality: unless you count new nuclear power there was nothing, nothing at all, that was positive on greening the economy.

So there was nothing more for investment in developing carbon capture and storage, without which Britain will be unable to meet its targets for cutting carbon emissions now that shale gas from fracking is being built into the energy provision landscape. New starter homes will have energy efficiency targets relaxed, new roads will be built, the levy disincentivising diesel is being delayed, and energy-intensive industries like steel are to be tax-exempt. Less than a week before the UN climate change talks begin in Paris, this is no way to green the economy. But it might just make Osborne prime minister.